Monthly Archives: July 2009


FILM AND DIGITAL HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Well in my life it is. As you all know, I’m mainly a digital photographer. It’s been my tool since I started professionally as a photographer. I love digital for the ability to just shoot, shoot, shoot! and to instantly see what you are shooting. Not to mention that you don’t need to change film depending on the speed that you need or to decide if you want to shoot black and white or color photos. So many excellent things can be said about digital and not to many negatives.

 

Film for me though, has always been about a certain look. There’s just this unexplained thing about film, that’s there and can’t be replicated digitally. I know that first hand, because I’ve tried countless times with no success. So I said, why try to replicate it, when I can just shoot film! So I’ve been on a mad hunt lately picking up film camera bodies that looked semi familiar to me, from the photographers that used them at the weddings I’ve attended as a teenager.

 

I’m not saying that I am going to totally switch to film or that digital is all that I use, truth be told is that I love both.  And hopefully sooner than later, film and digital in my professional life, will meet at the crossroads of photo making, so stay tuned!

 

 I know most of you have seen my updates on Twitter or Facebook, but here’s a recent photo of my film family.  I like to keep it old school!

ALL A LITTLE GIRL NEEDS

is a pair of designer jeans, a nice car and a chance to go crazy once and awhile!

 

GEOFFREY & CHENDAL : UCI AND NEWPORT BEACH ENGAGEMENT SESSION

They make my heart smile, was all that I could think about while looking through the lens. It wasn’t the looks or smiles or laughs they gave each other, but the way they smiled at each other with their hearts. It’s the love that can’t be described, but just, felt.

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Geoffrey and Chendal are getting married this September and I know their wedding day will be amazing! For their engagement session, we visited their old stomping grounds of UCI where they first met and then to Newport Beach for a little more fun.

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We had the most amazing amazing light that day!

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UCI Newport Beach Engagement Photos Here are some more cheesy smiles that I really adore.
UCI Newport Beach Engagement PhotosAren’t black and white photos so timeless?
UCI Newport Beach Engagement PhotosThis was the actual dorm room that Chendal lived at while on campus. Geoffrey later confessed to me that he used to stalk her, but see, stalking paid off!
UCI Newport Beach Engagement Photos
UCI Newport Beach Engagement Photos
UCI Newport Beach Engagement PhotosA simple portrait
UCI Newport Beach Engagement PhotosSome more of that beautiful light! These two made my job easy!
UCI Newport Beach Engagement Photos
UCI Newport Beach Engagement PhotosThis was my favorite photo of Chendal. Geoffrey calls her the posing / photo queen!
UCI Newport Beach Engagement Photos
UCI Newport Beach Engagement PhotosA quick change and we were off running!
UCI Newport Beach Engagement Photos
UCI Newport Beach Engagement Photos
UCI Newport Beach Engagement Photos
There was no lifeguard on duty, so we took advantage!
UCI Newport Beach Engagement PhotosGeoffrey waited all shoot, just to carry Chendal out to the water. He didn’t get all the way in, but just knee deep.
UCI Newport Beach Engagement Photos

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY RENTS!

Today has been such a busy day. As most of you know from my Twitter and Facebook updates, that my parents and older sister finally came to visit us for the first time in California. We’re all attending my cousins wedding on Saturday, which of course I’ll be shooting some photos. On top of all that, it’s my parents birthday weekend! My dad is a young 16 years old today (backwards) and my mom’s birthday is on Sunday (not wanting to give her age), but don’t they look young for their age? We surprised them with a nice birthday cheesecake today. People always mistaken me for looking in my early 20’s, so thanks mom and dad for my youthful genes! We’re off to celebrate, so please leave my parents some birthday love! Happy Friday!

 

OC PHOTOG SHOOTOUT

Just yesterday I joined 50 photographers for the OC Photog Shootout down in San Juan Capistrano. It was a great chance for everyone to learn a few things from other fellow photographers. And with all this Facebooking going on, it was nice to finally meet my Facebook friends! The day was well organized by having leaders and splitting everyone up into small groups. You were given the chance to float around and checkout what some of the leaders were teaching. So thanks to all the leaders for dropping some knowledge! I didn’t end up shooting that much yesterday, because I really wanted to see what others were saying, but I did take just a handful of photos.

 

Rachel and all of the models were working it for us yesterday!

 Here’s Jasmine Star sharing some poses and her other half JD.
 Aimee and Troy
For some reason this photo was a total accident. I was about to put my camera down and stop shooting, but for a split second, Aimee looked over at me and I was quick enough to take this photo. I’m glad I did.

BETH

Mysterious Beth. I only say mysterious, because Beth was our model last week, at a fun shoot with a few photographers. Thank you Natalie for setting it up! We were at the most gorgeous location in Huntington Beach, with some amazing late afternoon light. The backdrop and our model couldn’t have been any more stunning! Thank you again Beth for modeling for us and having so much fun!

 






 This wasn’t part of the planned shoot, Beth was just cold really.

HOW COULD I BE THIS LUCKY?

I’m overjoyed today. And I get like this every time I receive a thank you card or an email from my wonderful clients. But who wouldn’t? It’s a constant reminder to me that I’m doing something right and that my photography is making an impact on their lives. Photography I think and I know, is a powerful thing!

 

Beyond taking great photos for my clients, the thing I truly enjoy, is knowing that when they look at the photos, it takes them somewhere. Back to the day and emotions that they felt. I never thought in my life that 2 little words like “Thank You” can mean so much to me. And with that being said, I want to Thank all of my past, present and future clients who are reading this. You all have a special place in my heart.  Your trust and faith in what I do, can’t fully be expressed in words right now.  I’m just so appreciative and thankful. 

 

I’m humbled and ask myself every single day, how could I be this lucky? And finally this morning, I’m able to answer that question. It’s because for my whole entire life, I’ve been loved. Loved by my family, friends and Helen. And with this caring and love, it’s easy for me to give it back into my photography and my clients. It probably explains why I feel so emotionally connected at weddings. Call me cliche or cheesy, I don’t care. The truth lies in my words and it’s something I’m always proud to express.  Thank you Jackie and Brian for sending me this wonderful card and for allowing me to share it!

 

MOPHIE JUICE PACK AIR : REVIEW FOR THE IPHONE 3G

Don’t you hate being told what to do or be restricted to what you could do? I honestly felt like that when it came to using my iPhone. I was always concerned if my battery would die or always carrying around a charger. Well I needed a solution and after a lot of researching, I settled on the Mophie Juice Pack Air. I was finally able to put it through some testing after a few days, so I can actually or hopefully write a useful review for everyone. I’ll just list my positive and negatives below.

 

Positive:

 

- For a case / extra battery, this one seemed to be the only one on the market that is the thinest. It is a bit bigger than an iPhone with a case, but you can’t really notice.
- Does what it says with battery life. I was seeing 2x to 2.5x more battery life.
- Has an on and off switch on the bottom, so you can use the case to recharge your iPhone or when you need extra juice. The manufacturer recommends turning it on when you need power because constantly on, demands more power, keeping your iPhone at 100% charged.
- Quality and fitment is perfect.
- Some complain about the weight, but I don’t really notice that it’s a lot more. I do notice some weight though.
- Looks are normal. I say that as a positive thing, because it does just look like a plain iPhone case.
- I can use my iPhone all day, with my brightness on about half and push email to 15 minutes. I can’t seem to drain it in now in one full day.

 

Negative:

 

- I wish the case had the speaker holes at the bottom. I don’t mind it being in the front, if you noticed, that is where the sound is re-directed.
- In addition to the above statement, dust can also get trapped in the openings for the speaker and mic. That’s if you put your iPhone in your pocket. You can clean it by blowing it out or taking your case out.
- Some have seen a decrease in signal strength from the case. That is something I am still questioning. For the most part I haven’t seen it, but there are times when I notice Helen’s iPhone without a case gets better reception. But it’s usually a bar or two. I would rather sacrifice that for power.
- It uses a mico-usb plug, so to find a car charger, you need to find one that can just plug a usb plug to it.

 

My final thought is, that all in all, it does what it say. If you are finding that you are limited to using your iPhone because of the power issue, then I would strongly recommend this. For me, I’m always on my iPhone and don’t mind the extra thickness or weight.